Hamlet. So I do still, by these pickers and stealers. Rosencrantz. Good my lord, what is your cause of distemper? you do surely bar the door upon your own liberty, if you deny your griefs to your friend. Hamlet. Sir, I lack advancement. Rosencrantz. How can that be when you have the voice of the king himself for your succession in Denmark? 355 360 Hamlet. Ay, sir, but 'While the grass grows,'-the 365 proverb is something musty. Enter Players, with recorders. O the recorders: let me see one. To withdraw with you why do you go about to recover the wind of me, as you would drive me into a toil ? if Guildenstern. O! my lord, if my duty be too bold, my 370 love is too unmannerly. Hamlet. I do not well understand that. Will you play upon this pipe? Guildenstern. My lord, I cannot. Hamlet. I pray you. Guildenstern. Believe me, I cannot. Hamlet. I do beseech you. Guildenstern. I know no touch of it, my lord. 375 Hamlet. 'Tis as easy as lying; govern these ventages 380 with your finger and thumb, give it breath with your mouth, and it will discourse most eloquent music. Look you, these are the stops. Guildenstern. But these cannot I command to any utterance of harmony; I have not the skill. 385 Hamlet. Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing you make of me. You would play upon me; you would seem to know my stops; you would pluck out the heart of my mystery; you would sound me from my lowest note 390 to the top of my compass; and there is much music, excellent voice, in this little organ, yet cannot you make it speak. 'Sblood, do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe? Call me what instrument you will, though 395 you can fret me, you cannot play upon me. God bless you, sir ! Enter POLONIUS. Polonius. My lord, the queen would speak with you, and presently. Hamlet. Do you see yonder cloud that's almost in 400 shape of a camel? Polonius. By the mass, and 'tis like a camel, indeed. Hamlet. Methinks it is like a weasel. Polonius. It is backed like a weasel. Polonius. Very like a whale. Hamlet. Then I will come to my mother by and by. [Aside.] They fool me to the top of my bent. [Aloud.] I will come by and by. Polonius. I will say so. 405 [Exit. 410 Hamlet. By and by is easily said. Leave me, friends. [Exeunt all but HAMLET. 'Tis now the very witching time of night, When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out Contagion to this world: now could I drink hot blood, 415 And do such bitter business as the day Would quake to look on. Soft! now to my mother. O heart! lose not thy nature; let not ever The soul of Nero enter this firm bosom ; Let me be cruel, not unnatural ; I will speak daggers to her, but use none; 420 [Exit. SCENE III.- -A Room in the Castle. Enter KING, ROSENCRANTZ, and GUILDENSTERN. Guildenstern. We will ourselves provide. Most holy and religious fear it is To keep those many many bodies safe Rosencrantz. The single and peculiar life is bound The lives of many. The cease of majesty To whose huge spokes ten thousand lesser things King. Arm you, I pray you, to this speedy voyage; Which now goes too free-footed. Rosencrantz. We will haste us. 15 20 25 [Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN. Enter POLONIUS. Polonius. My lord, he's going to his mother's closet: Behind the arras I'll convey myself To hear the process; I'll warrant she'll tax him home; 'Tis meet that some more audience than a mother, King. Thanks, dear my lord. [Exit POLONIUS. O my offence is rank, it smells to heaven; Or pardon'd, being down? Then, I'll look up; 40 45 50 Can serve my turn? 'Forgive me my foul murder? O limed soul, that struggling to be free Art more engaged! Help, angels! make assay; Bow, stubborn knees; and heart with strings of steel 70 Be soft as sinews of the new-born babe. All may be well. Enter HAMLET. [Retires and kneels. Hamlet. Now might I do it pat, now he is praying; And now I'll do't: and so he goes to heaven; And so am I reveng'd. That would be scann'd : 75 I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven. Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge. With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May; Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent; At gaming, swearing, or about some act Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven, As hell, whereto it goes. My mother stays: The KING rises and advances. King. My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go. SCENE IV. The QUEEN's Apartment. Enter QUEEN and POLONIUS. 95 [Exit. [Exit. Polonius. He will come straight. Look you lay home to him; Tell him his pranks have been too broad to bear with, Hamlet. [Within.] Mother, mother, mother! I'll warrant you; Fear me not. Withdraw, I hear him coming. [POLONIUS hides behind the arras. Enter HAMLET. Hamlet. Now, mother, what's the matter? Queen. Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended. Queen. Have you forgot me ? What's the matter now? No, by the rood, not so: 15 You are the queen, your husband's brother's wife; You go not, till I set you up a glass Where you may see the inmost part of you. 20 Queen. What wilt thou do? thou wilt not murder me? Help, help, ho! Polonius. [Behind.] What, ho! help! help! help! Hamlet. [Draws.] How now! a rat? Dead, for a ducat, dead! [Makes a pass through the arras. |